California Academy of Soieaoea Carl Ewald Gruneky Bequest

August

I,

1034

The

Venturi Meter

BUILDERS IRON FOUNDRY

PROVIDENCE,
R.
I.,

U.

S.

A.

en

THE VENTURI METER

PATENTED BY

CLEMENS HERSCHEL
HYDRAULIC ENGINEER
AND

&

BUILDERS IRON FOUNDRY

MADE BY

BUILDERS IRON FOUNDRY

FOUNDERS AND MACHINISTS

PROVIDENCE, R.
1898.

I.,

u.

s.

A.

COPYRIGHTED,

1898,

BY BUILDERS IRON FOUNDRY, PROVIDENCE,

R.
!.

R.

PRESS OF LIVERMORE & KNIGHT CO., PROVIDENCE,

PREFACE

In the papers that have hitherto been published by us concerning the Venturi Meter, (copies of which will be furnished upon application), we have
given
a

more or
laws

physical

technical explanation of the governing the action of the meter,

less
it

and
be

called

attention to the uses to which

could
is

applied.
state

The
the
as

object
as
it

of

this

pamphlet
the

to

again the meter,

facts

relating

to

operation
to

of

briefly

possible,

and

show by

some
uses.

illustrations

how

has been applied in actual

BUILDERS IRON FOUNDRY.

PROVIDENCE, R.

I.,

January

i,

1898.

THE VENTURI METER

The Meter is named Venturi, who first called
flowing
for the
Italian
in

philosopher

ongin

of

name.

1796, to the relation between the velocities and pressures of fluids

attention,

when
tubes.

through
consists

converging
of

and

diverging
the
.

The Meter

two

parts

Tube,

through which the water flows, and the Register, which sums up and indicates on a dial the quantity of water
that has passed

.of

Principal parts meter.

The Tube
joined
at

through the tube. is formed of two

truncated

cones,

The Tube,

its

their smallest diameters

by

short throat

piece. are encircling pressure chambers that are connected with the interior by carefully drilled holes, and from

At

the upstream end and at the throat there

which pressure pipes lead to the register. See Figure i The operation of the Venturi Meter is due to the
.

operation of the

fact

that

when water
movement,

of

rest to

any pipe passes from a state or from one velocity of flow to a

in
velocities.

greater velocity, a certain amount of pressure against the shell of the pipe disappears, and that the disap-

pearance of pressure, or loss of head, is entirely dependent upon the velocities of flow past the points
in the pipe at

which pressure is taken. Therefore, at two points in a taper pipe, or Venturi

tube, as at

U-T,

Figure

i,

because of different sec-

VENTURI METER

FIGURE

i.

SECTIONAL VIEW OF VENTURI METER TUBE AND REGISTER.

tional area, different velocities

ent pressures must exist through the tube. The difference in pressure at the two points is always the same for the same velocity

and consequently differwhenever there is any flow

of flow, whatever the total or hydraulic pressure may be; and by exhaustive experiment has been shown to be nearly equal (in feet of water) to 1-64 the square of the velocity of flow (in feet per second) through throat of meter tube; or, in other words, to coincide
with the fundamental hydraulic formula for the head corresponding to any velocity of discharge from an orifice,
closely

in
at

which "h" corresponds to the difference in pressure and T, V the velocity of flow through throat,

and g the acceleration of gravity.

For demonstration of the preceding statements, see Herschel's

Rowland

Prize Paper, Transactions of

Engineers, December, 1877.

American Society of Civil Reprint furnished on application.

Merriman's Hydraulics, Article 71, (Reprinted herewith.) Illustrations of the Theorem of Bernouilli under " Hydromechanics," Qth Edition Encyclopaedia Britannica, or reprint furnished on application, and almost any modern text book on
Hydraulics.

pressures existing at the upstream end and throat of the meter tube are transmitted by
different

The

Register.

small

pipes

U,

to

the register (Figure

i),

where

they oppose one another, and are balanced by displacement of level of two columns of mercury in
cylindrical

tubes, one

within

the other.
J,

The

inner

mercury column
of which
is is

carries

a float,
as

V,

the position

previously explained an indication of the velocity of water flowing through

dependent on, and

FIGURE

2.

REGISTER.

the tube.
carried

The
this

position

assumed by an
I,

idler

wheel

by

float, relative

to an intermittently re-

volving integrating of contact of gears

drum

determines the duration

and

connecting

drum and
is

counter, by which the flow

registered.
It

for

successive intervals

but erroneous impression that water common error j regarding loss of flowing through a contracting pipe brings an increased head
is

a
i

common
i

'

'

pressure against the entire converging surface which it meets. The reverse of this impression is true. The pressure of water flowing through the Venturi Tube decreases from the inlet to the throat, and increases from
the throat to the outlet.
sures at inlet and
difference between presoutlet ends of the Tube is the friction

The

head or loss of head caused by

/i i
i

ordinary circumstances is r of this loss in tubes with throat area 1-9 of main

-11

operation, and under inconsiderable. The amount

its
'

inconsiderable.

is

stated in the

accompanying
10.

tables

and shown by

dia-

By adaptation of the tube to regram, Figure quirements, the loss of head may be limited to any
desired amount.

of the meter tubes, nor the quantity of water that may be measured. The largest that has yet been made is 9 feet diameter, with
is

There

no

limit to the size

Advantage

of

l~

maximum
gallons in

capacity at the rate of more than 200,000,000 24 hours.

Usually the meter tubes, for sizes under 60 inches diameter, are made of cast iron, with bronze-lined throat
pieces, but for special service

may be made of wooden

staves, sheet steel,

cement-concrete, brick or other material, with suitable metal parts for throat and upsteam pressure chambers.

The
and
is

usually laid as a part of the pipe line not injuriously affected by water hammer or
is

tube

Meter not

stances in the

FIGURE

3.

BACK OF REGISTER.

the most violent fluctuations of velocity or pressure,

and requires no more care than the pipe line itself. The meter cannot be disarranged by fish, gravel or other
substances carried through the pipe line by the water. The meter may be said to have created a field of J
usefulness for water meters which did not previously exist. It accomplishes with little difficulty what otherwise
is
General u
ness.

done only laboriously or approximately and clumsily.

Special ad

In water works, this meter enables a record to be kept of the total quantity consumed, also, of the quantities consumed by large users, such as adjacent

towns and

cities,

the several districts of one and the

same
water,

city, railroads, factories

it it

As

See Fig. 11. cannot be disarranged by substances in the is especially desirable, when the water it
like.
is

and the

Fire service.

be used for fire service. " waste-water It can be used as a meter," keeping a record of the quantity passing the meter at any time.

measures

liable to

Its

use

in

the detection of wastes and leaks,* and as a

slip

measure of the
plants,
lic

makes

it

of pumps/)* and the action of filter very valuable to all works for a pubthis
i

supply of water. similar line of service can be done by

A
i

meter
i

the case or sewerage systems, many or which, as now built, are constructed and operated for the joint benefit of several towns and cities, with the cost of
in

special adva tages forsew

ages ystem.

operation divided pro rata between them, according to the quantity of sewage contributed. For irrigation works this meter can accomplish what

special adva

has hitherto been desired but has not been practicable, [^work^ It enables water for irrigation purposes to be sold
strictly

by measure, and with

time when
of 1896-97, of

practically

no constraint

as to the

it

may be drawn.
of Philadelphia, 1896.
I

*See Report fSee Report

Water Commissioners, Clinton, Mass.

of

Bureau

Water, City

In the case of water powers, this meter is valuable determining the quantity of water drawn by tenants of water-rights for power, or for wash water and other
in
Special

advan-

tages for mills

and

factories.

purposes other than power. It offers to mills and factories a means of checking charges for power, or for ascertaining the amount of

power used.J Figure 5. It can be submerged in a flume or penstock, and enables large bodies of water to be measured regularly and accurately.

4-lNCH VENTURI TUBE, SPIGOT ENDS.

MEMORANDA
Column of water Column of water cury 0.883 ms n ^gh>
-

foot high = 0.433 lt> s at 62 F. foot high = Column of Merat 62 F.

-

Gallon

231 cubic ins. 0.1337 cubic foot.

8.335lbs.at62F.
Cubic foot of water Cubic foot of water Flow at rate of i cubic
3.786 litres. 7.480 gallons. 62.355 lbs.at62F. per second for 24 hours

ft.

646,000 gallons.
2

- 64.33
8.02
2,

JSee Engineering News, Vol. XXXVIII, No. Pioneer Electric Power Co., at Ogden, Utah."

July

1897.

" The Plant

of the

12

FIGURE

5.

ONE OF Two 54-INCH VENTURI METERS. POWER STATION PIONEER ELECTRIC POWER Co.
OGDEN, UTAH.

FIGURE
16-lNCH VENTURI

6.

METER TUBE.

FIGURE
20-lNCH VENTURI

7.

METER TUBE.

Cd

S *
o4

E-"

~u

>
H Z W vi (4 OS W W

* 2 g P fc Z
_

>
fc

w
ffi

to

!i

SS
W M < 8 S X H
ffi

<
rl

3
fe

<r

oc

r-

TABLE SHOWING QUANTITY OF WATER PASSING THROUGH

VENTURI METER TUBES OF
DIFFERENT SIZES

(THROAT AREA 1-9 OF MAIN), WITH CORRESPONDING VELOCITY OF FLOW IN THROAT, " HEAD ON
VENTURI," AND
"

FRICTION HEAD."*

"

HEAD ON VENTURI "

FRICTION HEAD
is

is

in feet of water, at throat " "

and up-stream end

the difference of pressure, of tube.

the difference of pressure, in feet

up-stream and down-stream ends of tube, or the LOSS OF HEAD due to introduction of meter tube.
of water, at

Vel. through

throat in

ft.

per second

TABLE SHOWING QUANTITY OF WATER PASSING THROUGH

VENTURI METER TUBES OF DIFFERENT
SIZES

(THROAT AREA 1-9 OF MAIN), WITH CORRESPONDING VELOCITY OF FLOW IN THROAT, " HEAD ON
VENTURI," AND
"

FRICTION HEAD."*

the difference of pressure, in feet of water, at throat and up-stream end of tube. " FRICTION HEAD" is the difference of pressure, in feet of water, at up-stream and down-stream ends of tube, or
is

"

HEAD ON VENTURI"

the LOSS

OF HEAD due

to introduction of

meter tube.

Vel. thro'

throat
in feet

per sec.

TABLE SHOWING QUANTITY OF WATER PASSING THROUGH VENTURI METER TUBES OF DIFFERENT SIZES
(THROAT AREA 1-9 OF MAIN), WITH CORRESPOND" HEAD ON ING VELOCITY OF FLOW IN THROAT,
VENTURI," AND "FRICTION HEAD."*

is the difference of pressure, throat and up-stream end of tube. in feet of water, at " FRICTION HEAD " is the difference of pressure, in feet of tube, or of water, at up-stream and down-stream ends the LOSS OF HEAD due to introduction of meter tube.

"

HEAD ON VENTURI

"

Ill

uosjwj
01
si/y

wn 01

ACCURACY
The
accuracy of the meter has been
fully

de-

monstrated by numerous tests, and when these have been made with the care that should be exercised in

any hydraulic experiment, most have been obtained.

satisfactory

results

of the accuracy of the Venturi meter can be presented than the continuous
better demonstration

No

performance of thirteen meters on the works of the That Company has a East Jersey Water Company.
contract with the City of Newark, N. J., to supply it with not more than 27^2 million gallons of water per

day.

The Company

controls

the water shed and

plant supplying this water, and is allowed to dispose of the balance that the works supply to other cities and

In this way it supplies at the present time Jersey City, the City of Bayonne, the Township of Franklin, the Town of Montclair, N. J., and other

towns.

consumers.

sold by measure, through ten Venturi meters, and daily records are kept of the quantities delivered to the principal consumers, with
is

All the water

weekly and monthly records

for the smaller

consumers.

Daily records are also kept of the quantities delivered to the conduits through receiving meters at the intake.

The arrangement of
diagram,

the

meters

is

shown by

from

official

Fig. n,and the following table compiled records of the Company shows comparison

of Receiving and Selling meters for seventeen months. From this table it will be seen that in seventeen

'

Is

do
T3 H3

o o

ts

3 3 C C

T3 H3

3 3 C C

T3 'O

3 3 C

T3 T3

3 3 G C

e c

SS yo

66

66

66

66

66

66

6"

J~

&

months 27,2 1 8,700,000

into the conduits

gallons of water were delivered

i

Nos.

and

2,

through two 48-inch

intake meters, and remeasured through ten selling or

outlet meters, varying in size from 1 2 to 48 inches, with a difference of measurements between the two sets of

meters of only
the

y
2

of

per cent.

Considering only

to July, 1897, during which performance of the meters was not interfered " with by irregular " unmeasured drafts of water for test-

months November, 1896,

ing pipe lines, etc., it will be seen that 12,996,500,000 gallons of water were measured by the intake meters

and remeasured by the

of

selling meters, with a difference only 17,600,000 gallons, or 14-100 of i per cent.

12-iNCH VENTURI

METER TUBE, SPIGOT ENDS.

26

SETTING OF METER
The meter
register
is

tube

is

set in

the pipe-line, wherever

5, 6, 7, 8

most convenient.

See Figures

and

9.

The

usually placed ten feet or

more below the

hydraulic grade, and not more than 1000 feet from the tube. The tube and register are connected by
inch brass, lead or tin-lined pipe, and as a matter of economy are usually placed as near
lines

two

of

y
2

one another

as possible.

The

register

must be properly protected from

a gate-house,

pumping-station or other building suitable for the purpose is not available This a vault or register house must be provided.

freezing, and when

should be

frost proof,

and not

less

than 6

ft.

x 6

ft.

inside; but in other respects may be built to suit the taste and requirements of the purchaser. Figures
12, 13 14, 15

and 16
will

illustrate

few that have been

for that

found entirely

satisfactory.

Drawings

shown

by Figure 14

be furnished

when

desired.

When

the meter

must be placed where frequent

readings cannot easily be obtained, the registrations may be automatically transmitted by electricity to a

secondary or

office

dial,

placed any distance from

figure 17, which the register.

may

be

VENTURI METER
BUILDERS IRON FOUNm

FIGURE

17.

SECONDARY OR OFFICE DIAL.

THE VENTURI WATER METER.

MANSFIELD MERRIMAN'S "HYDRAULICS." ARTICLE 71.

14

It

provided with piezometers

has been shown by Herschel* that a compound tube may be used for the accurate

measurement of water. The apparatus, which is called by him the Venturi Water Meter, is shown in outline in the accompanying figure, and consists of a compound tube terminated by cylinders, into the top of which are tapped

jDATUM^PLANE
the piezometers Hi. and Surrounding the small sec^ tion #2 is a chamber into which four or more holes lead

from the top, bottom and sides

* Transactions

of the tube,

and from
p. 228.

American Society

of Civil Engineers, 1887, Vol.

XVIII,

which

rises the

piezometer Hz.
vi, Vz,

The

the tube has the velocities

#2,

and v 3

flow passing through at the sections 0i,

and a 3 and these

,

velocities are inversely as the areas of

the sections.

When

the

pressure in a?

is

positive, the

water stands

in the central

piezometer at a height H*, as

shown
is

the figure; when the pressure is negative the air rarefied, and a column of water lifted to the height hz.
in

the height of the top of the section a* above the datum, the value of Hz for the case of negative pressure was taken to be hz. The apparatus was constructed
If
is

so that the areas ai and a 3 were equal, while a 2 was about

1-9 of these.

the discharge per second through the tube, the areas a* and a* are to be accurately found by " measurements of the diameters then (the quantity pass;

To determine

ing

is

equal to the area X the velocity or)

Q
If

#!

i}i t

or

Q=

a*

V?.

tions a
article

no losses and
i

of
az,

head due

to friction occur

between the sec-

the quantity h' in the formula of the last

is

o,

and

Inserting in this for vi and v* their values in terms of and then solving for Q, gives the result

which may be called the theoretic discharge. Dividing this expression by a* gives the velocity vt, and dividing it
t

This equation
is

is

deduced from the well-known law that the sum

of velocity

and

fric-

tion heads

constant.

36

by a* gives the velocity v*. Owing to the losses of head which actually exist, this expression is to be multiplied

by

a co-efficient c\

thus:
a-2

is

the formula for the actual discharge per second. Reference is made to Herschel's paper, above quoted,

method of conducting the The discharge was actually measured either experiments. and thus q being known for in a large tank or by a weir; observed piezometer heights Hi and //2,the value of c was
for a full description of the

computed by dividing the actual by the theoretic disFor example, the smaller tube used had the charge.
areas

ai

= 0.77288,
Q=

#2

= 0.08634 square feet;

is

hence the theoretic discharge

0.086884

^ 2g(Hi

H*

),
is

and the co-efficient

of discharge or velocity

In experiment No.
//2
I

the value of

H* was

99.069, while

was

24. 509 feet,

and the actual

cubic feet per second.

is

As

.fi'was

discharge was 4.29 84.704, the value of H*

is

60.195

feet.

The

theoretic discharge then

2 = 0.086884
Dividing 4.29 by
five
this,

X 8.02

y/38.874

= 4.345.
Fiftyin all

gives for c the value 0.988.

in this
a-2,

experiments made

manner,

of

which

negative pressure existed in

gave co-efficients ranging

37

in

value from 0.94 to 1.04, only four being greater than i.oi and only two less than 0.96.

had the areas ai 57.823 and #2 feet, and the pressure at the central 7.074 square piezometer was both positive and negative. Twenty-eight experiments give co-efficients ranging from 0.95 to 0.99,

The

larger tube used

the

highest co-efficients being for the lowest velocities. In this tube the velocity at the section # 2 ranged from 5 to

The small variation in the co-effi34.5 feet per second. cients for the large range in velocity indicates that the apparatus may in the future take a high rank as an
accurate instrument for the measurement of water.

Under

low

not probable that the arrangevelocities, however, of piezometers shown in the accompanying figure ment
it is

will give

the best results

in

order that

Hi may

correctly

pressure required both at the bottom and sides of the tube like that It is thought, moreover, that the elevation at a*.

indicate the

mean

in #i,

connection seems to be

should be measured to the centre of the section rather

than to the
essential

top.

The lower piezometer

apparatus and

is

not an

part
it

of the

may

be

omitted,

although

was

of value in the

experiments as showing

the total loss of head.

U.C.

BERKELEY LIBRARIES

U.C.

BERKELEY LIBRARIES

CD2fl7S5SS3